Biddulph continues its exploration of Francescatti’s legacy
with this miscellaneous recital, a large part of which derives
from a Balsam-accompanied Columbia LP recorded in January
1951. The rest form entertaining and valuable satellite performances.

The disc gets underway with the Vitali Chaconne, heard in
its then accustomed guise in the arrangement by Leopold
Charlier. This is warmed by the violinist’s characteristically
sweet tone and fast vibrato. It’s also aided in no small
measure by Balsam’s assertive pianism and by his having been
well balanced. The French violinist plays with captivating
brilliance albeit one or two corners are turned with just
a shade too much calculation. There is a sequence of pieces
by Kreisler. Strangely the Praeludium and Allegro in the
style of Pugnani receives a poor reading. The opening is
too militarily foursquare to let the majestic theme emerge
naturally and the contrasts are thereby exaggerated. It lacks
nobility, grandeur and cumulative force. If Elgar should
have recorded his own Introduction and Allegro – and famously
he didn’t – then Kreisler should have recorded not only Elgar’s
Concerto but Kreisler’s own Praeludium as well. I’ve never
known why it slipped through his recording net. The “W F
Bach” Grave is much better; Francescatti sounds far more
at home here, especially with regard to tempo and vibrato
usage and dynamics. Balsam is once more valuably assertive
in the Allegretto where we find Francescatti is at his most
spruce and urbane.

Massenet’s
Meditation finds him in lofty, patrician form whereas he
turns on the vibrato for the Chabrier-Dushkin. There’s real
verve in the Poulenc-Heifetz Presto though I think the following
Villa-Lobos is more reflective of his greatest gifts – evocative,
lambent playing with its rippling piano undercurrent. He
essays the Londonderry Air as well. Most post-War performances
are slower than their pre-War counterparts; Kreisler and
Sammons took it relatively quickly, but Francescatti basks
in its warmth, his flecking vibrato giving it a chaste ardour,
at least until his weird E string harmonics episode toward
the end which almost ruins it. The Paganini Variations find
him on home turf – his Paganini was famed and his own Paganinian
lineage, via his father’s studies with Sivori, exemplary.
His Ravel is warm, again just a touch urbane, not exaggerated.
And then there’s the Odd Man Out; the Introduction and Rondo
Capriccioso with Ormandy and the Philadelphia, the orchestral
interlopers in an otherwise all-Balsam accompanied disc.

Some
of the sides could do with a treble boost, and as ever there
are minimal discographic details from Biddulph; house style
predominates over valuable, necessary matters I’m afraid.
Still, some charismatic short performances are enshrined
in this nevertheless very welcome disc.

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